Business blogging tips and news for professional bloggers

I recently asked Skellie, author of the sensational new blog Skelliewag, 14 questions. Here are Skellie's answers.

Easton: Tell us a little about yourself.

Skellie: I live in Melbourne, Australia, and I've been creating web content and websites/blogs for more than seven years.

Why did you start writing at Skelliewag?  How did you choose that name?

I've spent years searching for a niche to settle down in. It took me this long to realize that I was more passionate about constructing blogs, websites and web content than I was passionate about the topics I dedicated them to!

The name Skelliewag was the result of a few days brainstorming, and my frustration at all the reasonable sounding domain names being taken. I decided to go with something completely unique and hope for the best. It doesn't have any special meaning, but people do seem to respond well to it.

Another advantage of a unique name is that you're always going to rank No. 1 on Google for that term.

What's your primary goal with Skelliewag?

To help my readers create kick-butt web content, blogs and websites. I also like to help them innovate, to differentiate, and carve out a name for themselves in their respective niches.

In addition to being rewarding in its own right, the above is a means to an end. I like the simple satisfaction of seeing my subscriber count climb. I like it when something I write does well on social media. Seeing the blog grow has been immensely satisfying.

An additional reward has been indirect income streams stemming from the blog. While Skelliewag displays no ads and I use no affiliate referrals, I've been able to generate a healthy second-income through blog consulting in addition to freelance writing at Daily Blog Tips.

How much time do you spend on Skelliewag?  Do you have any time management tips to share with other bloggers?

It's hard to calculate. I don't have a rigid schedule, because my time varies so much from day-to-day. One thing I can say is that it would be upwards of 10 hours a week, and probably closer to double that. I lead a busy life already, and have had to sacrifice some other hobbies to invest energy in the blog.

My number one time management tip would be to process tasks in batches. Don't answer emails, moderate comments, check feeds, stats, etc. throughout the day. Rather, complete each these tasks at once. Doing things sporadically means you're constantly interrupted, making it very hard to focus and actually get things done.

You use striking images to enhance your posts.  How do you find the right image for each post?

I tweak the search settings in Flickr to produce only photos I can use with attribution alone. I then search for a keyword that captures the essence of the article, and hope for the best. I actually really enjoy the experience, as there's some wonderful photography on Flickr. I save the image selection until I've finished writing, as a kind of reward.

I've also written a more detailed tutorial on the process , if you want to know more. It was one of the first guest-posts I did in the early days of the blog.

Your site has a remarkably crisp, simple design.  Why is that?  How do you make design decisions?

I was lucky enough to stumble across a wonderful Wordpress theme that proved relatively easy to customize with my trial-and-error CSS and equally trial-and-error Photoshop. Web design and blog theme customization are things I've tinkered with for years and things I enjoy, so it's always great to hear when people like interacting with the site.

My design decisions are hard to describe. Sometimes they're made after a few minutes spent squinting one eye and tilting my head. I'm not sure why that helps me make aesthetic judgements, but it seems to. On a more practical level, I always try to ask myself: "Is this essential?" My design philosophy is minimalist at heart, and focuses on highlighting what's important and removing the unimportant.

What do you dislike most about corporate blogs?  What would you most like to see at more corporate blogs?

I'll be honest -- I'm not a regular reader of many corporate blogs. This isn't because I have a pathological dislike of them, but simply because I've yet to stumble across many that have something to offer me.

Most corporate blogs (but certainly not all) say: "This is about us, not about you." When I find a corporate blog that puts visitors first, and focuses on what it has to offer them, then I have no qualms about subscribing and spreading the word.

Dogs or cats?  Why?

Despite the fact that I love all my pets equally (I have two dogs and a cat), I'm more interested in other peoples' dogs than I am in their cats, so I'd have to say I'm a dog person at heart.

What do you do for a living?  How does Skelliewag fit into the bigger picture of your professional life?

I'm studying Politics & Communications full time, working part-time, and freelancing part-time. I'm not really settled in a particular career yet.

I'm hoping Skelliewag will eventually allow me to quit my part-time job and focus solely on generating income online through things I already love to do, whether I get paid or not: writing for great sites, working with clients, and helping other bloggers.

What difference has Skelliewag made in your life?  What difference have you seen it make for others?

It's hard to say. It takes up a lot of time, but it gives me a sense of accomplishment. It has probably also made me a better writer, through sheer weight of words written, and the ability to publish without an editor. I'm also now earning twice what I was earning before Skelliewag opened, so in that sense, it has transformed my life financially. It's provided me with opportunities to talk to some amazing and well-known bloggers, both online and face to face.

One great thing about advice blogging is that you get to see the results when others take your advice, or build on your ideas. It's amazing to watch blogs and websites transform as readers add and subtract elements or refine their content. When you know you've contributed to making someone's site better, it's a great feeling.

What's your favorite day of the week and why?

That's a hard one. I'd say Sundays overall, as they're very relaxed. I get a lot of things done on Sundays, too, which makes it easier to dive into the new week.

Name three books or movies you'd take with you on a long journey.

1. Unleashing the IdeaVirus by Seth Godin. It's the kind of book that takes a long time to digest and wring the maximum amount of ideas from. I think I've learned more about blogging from Seth Godin than any other source -- particularly when he's not talking about blogging at all.

2. Creative Ideas by Edward de Bono. I think a long journey would be a good opportunity for brainstorming, and maybe this book would help.

3. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. I don't actually own this book but would like to. In hypotheticals, I guess you get to own whatever book you want, so I don't think a little wishful thinking will go astray.

Where do you see Skelliewag a year from now?

It's hard to imagine. So much has happened already and the blog is still shy of its three month birthday. I hope that I still have the passion for it in one year that I do now. I also really hope I don't run out of ideas!

10,000 subscribers in a year would be nice, too ;-).

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Ask Skellie A Question

Thanks again to Skellie - Thank you sincerely, Skellie - for being willing to answer my questions. Do you have a question for Skellie? Leave it in the comments below and I'll pass it along to Skellie. Or contact Skellie directly.